Box spring press

ABSTRACT

A box spring press including a bed and a source of power to act on a shaft and reciprocally drive an adjustable platen. The adjustable platen comprises a pair of rails that move uniformly in conjunction with each other in opposite directions by the operation of a rack and pinion. A uniform compression of the box spring unit is achieved by aligning the adjustable rails with the edge members of the box spring unit. The compression of the box spring unit in this manner allows a uniform tension to result in ticking that is applied to the unit before its release.

United States Patent 1 HochStatter [4 June 12, 1973 1 BOX SPRING PRESS [75] Inventor: Theo Hochstatter, Etobicoke, Primary Exammer Travls McGehee Ontario Canada Attorney-Hume, Clement, Hume & Lee

[73] Assrgnee: Sealy, Inc., Chicago, Ill. ABSTRACT [22] filed: June 1971 A box spring press including a bed and a source of [21] App]. No.: 149,701 power to act on a shaft and reciprocally drive an adjustable platen. The adjustable platen comprises a pair of rails that move uniformly in conjunction with each 5 13 other in opposite directions by the operation of a rack Fieid 4 R and pinion. A uniform compression of the box spring 60/242 unit is achieved by aligning the adjustable rails with the edge members of the box spring unit. The compression L of the box spring unit in this manner allows a uniform [56] References cued tension to result in ticking that is applied to the unit be- UNITED STATES PATENTS fore its release 1,306,604 6/1919 Minnich 100/295 X 3,225,686 12/1965 Clements 100/257 x 3 Clams, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB JUN I 2 memz BOX SPRING PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to presses and more particularly to presses for compressing box spring units.

It has been the practice in the bedding field to cover box spring units with an outer layer of material commonly known as ticking." To obtain a tight fit of the ticking the box spring unit is slightly compressed with a press during application of the ticking. Upon release of the box spring unit the ticking is lightly stretched, thus resulting in the desired fit.

Heretofore, as a result of the variable sizes of box spring units, compression was accomplished by a press with a platen that acted upon the center of the end members of the box spring unit. This caused the end members to bow and as a consequence a non-uniform compression of the box spring unit occurred. This condition was accentuated with the addition of supporting means at the side walls of the box spring structure.

Ticking applied to a box spring unit compressed by a press used in the prior practice has been found to pull irregularly upon release due to the non-uniform compression during application of the ticking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a box spring press which compresses box spring units uniformly. It is another object to provide a box spring press of this type which is readily adjustable to accommodate box springs of varying sizes.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accordance with the invention by providing a box spring press comprising a bed and a suitable source of power to act on a shaft and reciprocally drive an adjustable platen. The adjustable platen includes a pair of rails that move uniformly in conjunction with each other in opposite directions by the operation of a rack and pinion. The rails of the platen impinge the edge members of the box spring unit to achieve a uniform compression of the box spring unit. The adjustable platen allows box spring units of varying sizes to each be compressed in a similar manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box spring press embodying the features of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an end view of the box spring press shown in FIG. 1; f 1

FIG. 3 is a top view of the platen illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a box spring press embodying the features of the present invention is illustrated at 10. The box spring press includes a bed 11 and a source of power 12 to act on a shaft 14 and reciprocally drive an adjustable platen designated generally at 16. The platen 16 is provided with rails 18a and 18b which are adjustable by the operation of a rack and pinion which moves the rails 18a and 18b in opposite directions in conjunction with one another. The rails 18a and 18b are adjusted until they are aligned with the edges of a box spring 22 which is placed bottom face up on a piece of ticking 24 lying on a bed 11. The box spring unit 22 is compressed uniformly by moving the rails 18a and 18b downward to contact the edges of the bottom face of the box spring unit 22. The ticking 24 is applied while the box spring 22 is in a compressed state so that a slight, uniform tension in the ticking 24 will be achieved when the box spring 22 is released.

Considering the box spring press 10 in more detail, and referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the box spring press 10 includes a bed 11, which may be any suitable supported, horizontal platform. Any suitable source of power 12 capable of delivering reciprocal movement to a platen 16 is connected by a shaft 14 to the platen 16. The platen 16 is stabilized through columns 15 located on either side of the shaft 14.

In the preferred embodiment the platen 16 comprises a beam 17 attached, preferably by welding, to the shaft 14 and the columns 15. A plurality of pairs of members, preferably four, designated by 19a and 19b are positioned along the centerline of the beam 17 so that the members 19a of each pair are on one side of the beam 17 and the members 19b are on the opposing side. Each pair of the members 19a and 19b lie within a sleeve 21 which is attached by welding or other suitable means to the beam 17.

A shaft 20, located under the beam 17, passes through each sleeve 21 and has pinion gears 27 positioned along its length so as to lie adjacent to each pair of the members 19a and 19b. Each of the members 19a and 19b have teeth located on one face thereof to enable the members 19a and 19b of each pair to be engaged by the adjacent pinion gear 27, as illustrated in FIG. 4, and, thus, act as a rack and pinion. A spacer 26 is positioned within each of the sleeves 21 to separate the members 19a and 19b and maintain each of the members 19a and 19b in a horizontal plane.

A rotation of the shaft 20, preferably accomplished by turning one of two handles 23 located at either end of the shaft 20, results in simultaneously moving the members 19a and 19b so that the member 19a of each pair moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the member 19b of the pair. For example, a rotation of the shaft 20 in a clockwise direction will move the member 19a of each pair uniformly in conjunction with the member 19b of each pair so that the outermost ends of each of the members move toward the beam 17. A counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 20 will have the opposite effect and the outermost ends of the members 19a and 19b will move away from the beam 17.

A pair of rails 18a and 18b are positioned parallel to the beam 17 with the rail 18a attached to the outermost ends of the members 19a and the rail 18b attached to the outermost ends of the members 19b. The rails 18a and 18b move in conjunction with the members 19a and 19b and, thus, expand or contract in distance apart. The rails 18a and 18b are attached to the members and 19b so that each lies in the same horizontal plane.

The operation of applying the ticking 24 is accomplished by placing a box spring unit 22 on the bed 11 so that the top face of the box spring unit 22 is positioned on a section of ticking 24 and the bottom face of the box spring unit 22 faces the platen 16. The platen 16 is adjusted by rotation of the shaft 20 until the rails 18a and 18b are aligned just inside the outermost edges of the box spring unit 22 as shown in FIG. 2. After adjustment, the platen 16 is moved downward, to contact the edges and slightly compress the box spring unit 22 so that application of the ticking 24 can be performed. The positioning of the platen 16 just inside the outermost edges allows the ticking 24 to be applied to the bottom edge of the box spring unit 22. Such positioning of the platen 16 also results in a uniform compression of the box spring unit 22 even when additional support springs are placed along the side walls making the edges more rigid. Thus, when the ticking 24 is attached and the box spring unit 22 released, the desired uniform stretch of the ticking 24 is achieved.

Trays 25a and 26b can be positioned on the rails 18a and 18b, respectively, to hold materials used in the application of the ticking 24. Preferably, the trays 25a and 25b are attached to the rails 18a and 18b by bolts.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended nected to a plurality of second members;

c. each of said first and second members having a rack on the end thereof;

d. a shaft extending between and substantially parallel to said rails and having a plurality of pinions thereon;

e. each of said pinions cooperating with a rack of one I of said first members and a rack of one of said sec;

0nd members whereby rotation of said shaft moves said first and second members and said pair of rails J in opposite directions;

f. power means capable of driving said platen means in reciprocating movement; and

g. bed means to support a box spring.

2. The box spring press of claim 1 including a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve receiving the rack of one of said first members andthe rack of one of said second members, said shaft extending through each of said sleeves, said pinions on said shaft being located within said sleeves.

3. The box spring press of claim 2 wherein said sleeves are attached to a main support member and shaft means connecting said main support member to said power means. 

1. A box spring press comprising: a. adjustable platen means including a pair of substantially parallel rails for contacting the edges of the box spring; b. one of said rails being connected to a plurality of first members and the other of said rails being connected to a plurality of second members; c. each of said first and second members having a rack on the end thereof; d. a shaft extending between and substantially parallel to said rails and having a plurality of pinions thereon; e. each of said pinions cooperating with a rack of one of said first members and a rack of one of said second members whereby rotation of said shaft moves said first and second members and said pair of rails in opposite directions; f. power means capable of driving said platen means in reciprocating movement; and g. bed means to support a box spring.
 2. The box spring press of claim 1 including a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve receiving the rack of one of said first members and the rack of one of said second members, said shaft extending through each of said sleeves, said pinions on said shaft being located within said sleeves.
 3. The box spring press of claim 2 wherein said sleeves are attached to a main support member and shaft means connecting said main support member to said power means. 